Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

What They are Saying About the ALCS

I always love to check out other newspapers and read what the are saying about our Tampa Bay Rays. Some articles are starting to have a fatalistic viewpoint, while other still have that optimistic slice of pie you want to read from your hometown fish wrap. Here are some of the recent snippets from the media giants patrolling the ponds of Fenway Park during the ALCS. After the 9-1 Rays win in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, here’s what other sportswriters had to say.

Rays Quiet ‘Friendly’ FenwaySteve Buckley, Boston Herald

Sox fans should have seen this coming. Though the Rays lost 7-of-9 games at Fenway Park this season, those two victories took place in the last two meetings between the two clubs. And overall, the Rays won seven of their last nine regular-season games against the Mighty, Mighty Bostones and captured first place in the rugged AL East.

So for those of you who were banking on the Rays being intimidated, scared, discouraged, this being their first visit to Fenway when big-boy October baseball is being played . . . no.

For the Sox, here’s the sobering reality: They have to win at least one of the next two just to force the ALCS back to Tropicana Field. And should they get there, the rotation is lined up that the two Sox pitchers set to go in potential elimination games have been tattooed the first time around in the series.

Rays Take Control, At Least For NowClubhouse Insider, Boston Herald

The Rays are young, fresh, and just new enough at all this not to be cowed by the stage. They don’t know any better.

The Sox are defending champs, but the Rays right now look like the team to beat.

Rays Knock Red Sox Onto Their HeelsJack Curry, New York Times

They are two significant parts of the future for the Tampa Bay Rays, the smooth third baseman and the even smoother center fielder. They are such talented twenty-something players that they give the Rays endless hope for the next decade or more. But on Wednesday, with Evan Longoria at third and B. J. Upton in center, the future was already here.

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Display of Power Lets the Air Out of FenwayHarvey Araton, New York Times

Through the summer months and into September, the consensus on the neophyte Rays was that they weren’t quite ready to complete the regular-season marathon, that they would fade to the wild card, if not out of the playoff picture entirely. But they ran away from the $200 million Yankees, withstood the September challenge of the defending champion Red Sox, brushed off the White Sox in their franchise October debut.

All those thresholds handsomely met, how daunting should best of seven be for a team that had proved itself in best of 162?

Also on the website is two different variations of a shirt sporting Evan Longoria on them. Both have the AL Rookie of the Year candidate’s jersey number and phrasing that is all about the heavy-hitting young Ray.

The Rays lead the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, three games to one. Game 5 is at 8:07 tomorrow at Boston’s Fenway Park.

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2 Comments

Go Rays! I’m glad to see Kazmir getting the ball tonight and I hope he comes through with the performance of a lifetime. Cool tee-shirts — I have been trying to get tickets for WS but no luck so far, I’d hate to have to settle for a tee-shirt but will definitely pick one up whether I make it to any games or not . . . of course Rays need to win one more first, and with Boston you can’t assume anything. But come on, one more win . . .

Kaz is ready for tonight.
Everyone is questioning Joe Maddon’s logic, but actually I think it is a brilliant plan. Sonnanstine is a breaking ball guy, and tonight they will get the fireballer. But you also have to think that Matsuzaka will have a good game, but can he deliver two brilliant games in a row………not so sure about it.
Still, it will be a great game, and the Phillies get to watch the Rays first hand tonight. Could be a psyche job for both teams, Boston and Philadelphia.

World Series tickets just for the nose bleeds are out of this world already and we have not even gotten to the series yet. The cheap seats might hit 300 dollars a ticket by Game 1…..if we get there

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